Modern Horizons 3 is just around the corner, and at this point, we know the majority of the cards in the main set. Unsurprisingly, many of these cards are quite strong in multiple different formats. Beyond just the power level of the cards individually, though, the set’s focus on cool themes and intriguing designs as a whole is really cool.
Today, we are going to focus in on a handful of newly previewed spoilers. Despite not appearing overly powerful at first glance, these cards can be quite impactful if you build around them. From a neat blue Enchantment with Storm to an efficient Eldrazi beater, each of these cards brings something unique to the table.
Amphibian Downpour
Kicking things off, we have a card with Commander written all over it. Amphibian Downpour is a rather amusing card that can effectively deal with a multitude of opposing threats at once. Thanks to the Enchantment’s Flash ability, you can simply wait for an opponent to cast some spells, then follow up with Amphibian Downpour and
Frogify
Frogify
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature loses all abilities and is a blue Frog creature with base power and toughness 1/1. (It loses all other card types and creature types.)
a bunch of Creatures.
Being able to effectively answer multiple Commanders at once without affecting your board is sweet. Where things get even more interesting, however, is if you’re playing a deck that cares about Enchantments entering the battlefield. A huge part of Amphibian Downpour’s appeal is that you end up with a bunch of copies of Amphibian Downpour all over the battlefield.
Any on-color Commander deck utilizing lots of cards with Constellation, such as
Eidolon of Blossoms
Eidolon of Blossoms
Constellation — Whenever this creature or another enchantment you control enters, draw a card.
or
Archon of Sun’s Grace
Archon of Sun’s Grace
Flying
Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
Pegasus creatures you control have lifelink.
Constellation — Whenever an enchantment you control enters, create a 2/2 white Pegasus creature token with flying.
, can make great use of Amphibian Downpour. Amphibian Downpour may not be up to snuff in Modern, but that doesn’t mean the card won’t have a home elsewhere.
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Eldrazi Linebreaker
Next up, we have a three-mana Eldrazi with a potent triggered ability. Eldrazi Linebreaker has the potential to enable some rather large attacks, assuming you have a lot of Eldrazi in play. What really makes Eldrazi Linebreaker stand out, though, is simply how powerful the card is on rate alone.
At minimum, Eldrazi Linebreaker gets to attack for four damage the turn you play it. This is a decent chunk of damage for a three-drop. When you start adding other cheap Eldrazi to your deck, things can get a bit out of hand.
Andrea Mengucci, the content creator who previewed this card, mentioned Eldrazi Linebreaker’s incredible synergy with
Eldrazi Temple
Eldrazi Temple
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add {C}{C}. Spend this mana only to cast colorless Eldrazi spells or activate abilities of colorless Eldrazi.
and
Eldrazi Mimic
Eldrazi Mimic
Whenever another colorless creature you control enters, you may change this creature's base power and toughness to that creature's power and toughness until end of turn.
. Eldrazi Mimic hasn’t seen much play in Modern since
Eye of Ugin
Eye of Ugin
Colorless Eldrazi spells you cast cost {2} less to cast.
{7}, {T}: Search your library for a colorless creature card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.
was banned. Between
Ugin’s Labyrinth
Ugin’s Labyrinth
Imprint — When this land enters, you may exile a colorless card with mana value 7 or greater from your hand.
{T}: Add {C}. If a card is exiled with this land, add {C}{C} instead.
{T}: Return the exiled card to its owner's hand.
as another “Sol” Land and beefy threats like Eldrazi Linebreaker, perhaps an Eldrazi aggro shell is back on the menu.
If Eldrazi Linebreaker gets to live through the turn, the card becomes even more impressive. Playing turn one Eldrazi Mimic, turn two Eldrazi Linebreaker, then following up with turn three
Thought-Knot Seer
Thought-Knot Seer
({C} represents colorless mana.)
When this creature enters, target opponent reveals their hand. You choose a nonland card from it and exile that card.
When this creature leaves the battlefield, target opponent draws a card.
and giving it Haste is an easy avenue to a turn three kill. Throw in
Chalice of the Void
Chalice of the Void
This artifact enters with X charge counters on it.
Whenever a player casts a spell with mana value equal to the number of charge counters on this artifact, counter that spell.
as a way to protect Eldrazi Linebreaker from
Lightning Bolt
Lightning Bolt
Lightning Bolt deals 3 damage to any target.
and you’ve got a gameplan!
While less likely, it’s possible Eldrazi Linebreaker could make its way into Legacy as well. Legacy is chock full of Sol Lands with the presence of
Ancient Tomb
Ancient Tomb
{T}: Add {C}{C}. This land deals 2 damage to you.
and
City of Traitors
City of Traitors
When you play another land, sacrifice this land.
{T}: Add {C}{C}.
. While Eldrazi Linebreaker does require red mana to play,
Cavern of Souls
Cavern of Souls
As this land enters, choose a creature type.
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast a creature spell of the chosen type, and that spell can't be countered.
and
Simian Spirit Guide
Simian Spirit Guide
Exile this card from your hand: Add {R}.
can help cast it. Eldrazi Stompy is currently a thing of the past in Modern and Legacy, but perhaps MH3 has the tools to bring the archetype back.
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Deem Inferior
So far, we’ve focused on Commander and Modern applications. Our last spoiler, by contrast, seems best fit for Pauper. Deem Inferior may cost four mana to deal with a threat temporarily, but it’s easy to get that cost down to as little as one mana. Additionally, Deem Inferior can deal with any non-Land permanent, not just a Creature.
In the context of Modern, Deem Inferior is almost certainly too weak. That being said, this card is definitely worth consideration in Pauper. Most Pauper decks have access to efficient removal. Black decks have access to
Snuff Out
Snuff Out
If you control a Swamp, you may pay 4 life rather than pay this spell's mana cost.
Destroy target nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated.
, red decks have
Lightning Bolt
Lightning Bolt
Lightning Bolt deals 3 damage to any target.
, and white decks have
Journey to Nowhere
Journey to Nowhere
When this enchantment enters, exile target creature.
When this enchantment leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner's control.
. Mono-blue decks, on the other hand, are limited in what they can run.
Tempo strategies like mono-blue Faeries can make solid use of
Snap
Snap
Return target creature to its owner's hand. Untap up to two lands.
in conjunction with
Spellstutter Sprite
Spellstutter Sprite
Flash
Flying
When this creature enters, counter target spell with mana value X or less, where X is the number of Faeries you control.
, but mono-blue
Tolarian Terror
Tolarian Terror
This spell costs {1} less to cast for each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard.
Ward {2} (Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays {2}.)
decks could use an efficient way to answer problematic threats from the opponent. Deem Inferior is a bit awkward at Sorcery speed, but it pairs really nicely with Brainstorm and all the other cantrips the decks utilize.
Getting to remove anything from Gurmag Angler to an opposing copy of
Journey to Nowhere
Journey to Nowhere
When this enchantment enters, exile target creature.
When this enchantment leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner's control.
is strong. You may even have a window to tuck away Relic of Progenitus, fill your graveyard with Instants and Sorceries, and jam Tolarian Terror or Cryptic Serpent before the hate piece comes back down. Deem Inferior isn’t anything super special, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a reasonable interactive option for a deck that needs it.
Compared to spoilers like Shifting Woodland and Flare of Denial, these cards may not seem overly exciting. Even still, they all have useful applications in various formats that make them appealing. Just like the other Modern Horizons sets, MH3 is filled to the brim with playable cards that are sure to shake things up.
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